BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Meeting for Week of April 17, 2007

 

The Board met in executive session regarding personnel from 9:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 17, 2007 with Commissioners Paul Pearce, Chair, James D. Richardson and Jamie Tolfree present, with no action taken.

 

The Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss claim for expense vouchers, storage of Civil Service files, and an upcoming workshop with Public Works from 9:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., with no action taken.

 

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 17, 2007 at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners Paul Pearce, Chair, James D. Richardson and Jamie Tolfree present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

John Rose of Olympic Property Group, a parent company of Pope Resources, advised that his company was interested in interacting in the Swift Area Plan.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to approve the Consent Agenda as follows:

1.       Minutes for week of April 10, 2007.

2.       Liquor license renewal for Stabler Country Store.

3.       Request for Proposals for Agency Representation for Group Health Insurance and Related Benefits, set deadline to receive proposals for 4:30 PM Monday, May 21, 2007 and set date to open proposals for 10:10 AM Tuesday, May 22, 2007.

4.       Set public hearing for 1:30 PM Tuesday, May 15, 2007 to consider three applications from Todd and Virginia Perman for a change of classification or use to transfer portions of tax parcel 02-05-35-0-0-0400-00 from Designated Forest Land to Current Use Timber Land.

5.       Reallocation of Sheriff’s Office vehicle #709, 2000 Jeep Cherokee, to Dept of Emergency Management to be operated with actual operating costs (AOC) with monies within DEM travel budget reallocated to cover AOC costs; and surplus 1984 and 1985 Chevrolet Diesel Blazers and 1985 Chevrolet S-10 DARE truck from Sheriff’s Office fleet.

6.       Contract with Toweill Rice Taylor, LLC to conduct land use Hearing Examiner Services in unincorporated Skamania County.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to amend Resolution 2006-50, paragraph #2, approved on November 21, 2006, correcting the additional monthly amount added to the 2006 salary of the Prosecuting Attorney and correcting the 2007 monthly salary of the Prosecuting Attorney.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to rescind a portion of Resolution 2000-19 referencing language regarding the Prosecuting Attorney’s agreement with the Board of Commissioner to refrain from the practice of law.

 

Request for proposals for Milfoil Applicator were opened.  Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to forward the following proposals to Planning and Community Development for review and recommendation.

1.       Dave’s Weed & Pest Control, Priest River, ID

2.       AquaTechnex, Centralia, WA

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion failed to table an exclusive services agreement with the Prosecutor until the status of reauthorization of the federal forest funds is known but no later than June 1, 2007, with Commissioner Tolfree voting aye, and Commissioners Pearce and Richardson voting nay.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to return the Prosecutor’s exclusive services agreement to the Prosecutor for revisions to include a termination clause, an annual review, and an effective date of January 1, 2007.

 

Larry Douglass, Interim Public Works Director reported on the Rock Creek slide, engineering projects, bridges, County Road, ER&R, Solid Waste, Building Department, and personnel.

 

Karen Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director reported on the pending application list, upcoming joint Planning Commission/Board of Commissioner workshop for the Comprehensive Plan and Swift Subarea Plan, Milfoil Applicator request for proposals, upcoming Terrestrial Coordination Committee meeting, and upcoming City of Stevenson Stakeholder’s Technical Workshop for Critical Areas.

 

Scott Pineo, Recreation and Facilities Director reported on Community Mobilization, facilities planning/relocations, staff retreat, Fairgrounds activities, Home Valley water/restrooms, grants, and upcoming meetings.

 

The meeting recessed at 11:50 a.m. Tuesday, April 17, 2007 and reconvened at 1:35 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

A public hearing was held to consider a request from Gabe Spencer and Paul Spencer for a variance to Skamania County Code Chapter 12.03.040(B)(5) Private Road Requirement Design Standards for proposed Camp Cedars Lane (private), located off of Loop Road at approximately mile post 2.75 on the left, to allow a road grade in excess of the 12% maximum for lengths of 100-feet or less and to allow a cul-de-sac grade to exceed 6%.  Rich Lang, County Surveyor gave a staff report, recommended approval of the variance due to the extensive excavation to construct a road up the ridge to access the proposed short plat parcels, recommended grades not exceed 16%, and further recommended a 20-foot wide asphalt surface and dressed shoulders.  The applicants were in agreement with Public Works recommendations and requested that asphalting not be required until issuance of the first building permit.  The hearing was closed to public comment.  Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to acknowledge receipt of a letter from Fire District #2.  Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to approve the variance with four conditions 1) No grade shall exceed 16%.  2) Asphalt surface shall be 20-feet in width.  3) Shoulders shall be approved per inspection by Public Works.  4) Conditions shall be concurrent with issuance of the first building permit.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to approve an exclusive services contract with Peter Banks, Prosecuting Attorney to forego from engaging in any practice outside the duties of Skamania County Prosecuting Attorney.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with the Counseling Center to discuss Crossroads vs. Counseling Center issues, mental health, chemical dependency, and developmental disabilities, with no action taken.

 

The Board advised they would be participating in a joint workshop with the Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m. this evening at the Courthouse Annex to review and discuss the 2007 Comprehensive Plan and Swift Subarea Plan.

 

The meeting recessed at 3:25 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, 2007 and reconvened at 9:20 a.m. Wednesday, April 18, 2007, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with Public Works to review engineering projects and discuss Engineering and Road Division staffing, with no action taken.  The Board directed the Interim Public Works Director to advertise for the County Surveyor position and to move forward with contracting with Andy Janskey for Interim County Engineer services.

 

The Board met in executive session regarding potential litigation from 10:10 a.m. until 10:30 a.m., with no action taken.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with Planning and Community Development to discuss volcanic hazard reports, Comprehensive Plan and Swift Subarea Plan, and Underwood Community Council, with no action taken.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with the Recreation and Facilities Director to discuss Rock Creek Center, Fairgrounds issues, and electronic fire suppression, with no action taken. 

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to award the proposal for Rock Creek Services Center project and the Courthouse project to Wilson Associates, AIA of Vancouver, WA.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to authorize the Recreation and Facilities Director to spend up to $10,000 more on the Fairgrounds Pavilion than currently budgeted for this project, so long as the total capital improvement project budget is not exceeded unless a supplemental budget is approved.

 

The meeting recessed at 12:50 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, 2007 and reconvened at 1:23 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

The Board met in executive session regarding potential litigation from 1:23 p.m. until 1:44 p.m., with no action taken.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with the Assessor to discuss department reorganization, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 2:10 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, 2007 and reconvened at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 19, 2007, with Commissioners Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

Jim Shank, from the Department of Natural Resources presented a report on the projection of income from state forest board lands in Skamania County and gave updates on future sales activities in Skamania County.

 

The Prosecutor gave an update on a boundary line adjustment to correct a survey discrepancy for property located on Delina Lane and advised of legal concerns with the transfer of property by a successor of the owner who may or may not be competent.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve vouchers for the period ending April 19, 2007 in the total amount of $140,553.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve Resolution 2007-17 amending portions of Resolution 2006-50 and 2000-19 affecting the annual salary increase for the Prosecuting Attorney.

 

The meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m. Thursday, April 19, 2007.

 

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON